Sensors and associated methods, including surface condition sensors

• US 7,421,894 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2006
• Issued: 09/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Zydax LLC
• Original Assignee: Zydax LLC
• Inventors: Keep, Dale, Doyle, Lance
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen; Andre J
• Application Number:
  US11/506,646
• Publication Number:
  US 20070163339A1
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 731/46, 731/701.9, 340/905, 340/585
• US Class Current: 73/170.19
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/223 for determining moisture content, e.g. humidity rain detectors on vehicle windows B60S1/0825
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/00 Meteorology
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 19/02 Alarm responsive to formation or anticipated formation of ice
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention provides a surface sensor system comprising a wet/dry sensor assembly, an electrically isolated passive sensor assembly, a thermally adjustable active sensor assembly, at least one temperature sensor, and a data processing device coupled together as a unit positionable adjacent to a surface, such as an outdoor surface. The unit is configured to determine the presence a surface material containing water or a water-based mixture on the surface and the solid or liquid phase of the surface material.

Claims

1. A surface sensor system for sensing conditions on a surface and configurable to provide data to a remote location, comprising:

an electrically insulative body having a surface portion positionable substantially coplanar with the surface;

a data processing system within the body;

a first sensor assembly coupled to the data processing system and having a first temperature sensor and a conductivity sensor unit within the body and coupled to the surface portion, the conductivity sensor unit having a plurality of sensing electrodes coupled to the surface portion and electrically isolated from each other by a plurality of non-conductive layers interleaved between the sensing electrodes, the conductivity sensor unit configured to detect if the surface portion is wet, partially wet, or dry; and

a second sensor assembly within the body and spaced apart from the first sensor assembly, the second sensor assembly being coupled to the data processing system, the second sensor assembly having first and second electrodes spaced apart from each other and interconnected by an electrically conductive member, at least a portion of the first and second electrodes being substantially coplanar with the surface portion, the electrically conductive member being positioned adjacent to first and second windings spaced apart from each other, and a detection device connected to the first and second windings and configured to detect and measure an electrical condition in the electrically conductive member based upon the conductivity of material on the surface portion and in contact with the first and second electrodes.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the second sensor assembly has a thermal adjustment device coupled to the first and second electrodes and configured to heat or cool at least a portion of the material on the surface portion adjacent to the first and second electrodes.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a communication device coupled to the data processing system and configured to send or receive data from the data processing system related to the surface conditions on the surface portion.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor operatively coupled to the data processing system and positionable remotely from the body.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the data processing system and the first and second sensors are substantially encapsulated in an electrically insulative material forming the body.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the second sensor assembly is a passive sensor, and further comprising an active sensor that can change the temperature of the material on the surface portion adjacent to the first and second electrodes.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the data processing system includes communication circuitry coupleable to at least one slave sensor assembly remote from the body.

8. A surface sensor system for sensing weather-related conditions on an outdoor surface, comprising:

a support structure with a surface portion positionable substantially coplanar with the outdoor surface;

a data processing system coupleable to a remote data processor;

a first sensor assembly coupled to the data processing system and having a first temperature sensor and a conductivity sensor unit, the temperature sensor being coupled to the surface portion and configured to sense the temperature at the surface portion, the conductivity sensor unit having a plurality of sensing electrodes coupled to the surface portion and electrically isolated from each other by a plurality of non-conductive layers interleaved between the sensing electrodes, and controller that controls a sequence and timing of electrical stimulation of each of the sensing electrodes to detect an electrical resistance of material on the surface portion and in electrical contact with the electrodes; and

a second sensor assembly coupled to the data processing system and to the support structure and spaced apart from the first sensor assembly, the second sensor assembly having a temperature sensor, and first and second electrodes spaced apart from each other and interconnected by an electrically conductive member, at least a portion of the first and second electrodes being substantially coplanar with the surface portion, the electrically conductive member being positioned adjacent to first and second windings spaced apart from each other, and a detection device connected to the first and second windings and electrically isolated from the electrically conductive member, the detection device being configured to detect and measure an electrical condition in the electrically conductive member based upon the conductivity of material on the surface portion and in contact with the first and second electrodes, and wherein the first and second electrodes are operatively coupled to a thermal adjustment device configured to heat or cool at least a portion of the material on the surface portion adjacent to the first and second electrodes, wherein the detection device is configured to detect a change in conductivity of the portion of the material on the surface portion adjacent to the first and second electrodes that was heated or cooled, wherein data from the temperature sensor and the first and second electrodes is provided to the data processing system for determining weather-related conditions of the material on the outdoor surface.